The Cullen: Wordisode I: Pilot
by Peaches3
Summary: In the big city of Chicago, there was big news. Word was spreading like wildfire. Only two hours after the incident, people on every street corner in the city were describing what they had heard to people they knew or even strangers that they didn’t.


**Hiya, guys! My name is Peach3. isabellacarsonroxmysox is my bestest friend ever. You can ask her. So, this is how it works: The Cullen is like a TV show. Each week, I post a new 'episode'. And you read it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters or themes belonging to Stephenie Meyer.**

_The Cullen_

_Episode 1: Pilot_

In the big city of Chicago, there was big news.

Word was spreading like wildfire. Only two hours after the incident, people on every street corner in the city were describing what they had heard to people they knew or even strangers that they didn't.

In a small house in a secluded part of town, Police Chief Charlie Swan and his daughter, me, Isabella Swan were going through their normal evening routine.

Little did we know, this night would change our lives.

* * *

It was a regular Monday night, as far as I could tell. I was moving around the small kitchen, cooking dinner as I thought about the papers I would be grading while Charlie watched the game. I was a schoolteacher at a large private school.

The news was on in the other room, and the sound drifted into the kitchen. I wasn't paying attention until I heard the news that was sweeping the streets at that very moment.

"We have heard from a trusted source that The Cullen is down. Yes, folks, The Cullen is down. He was down on Bay Street. Ambulances can't get to him through the thick crowd that are watching their hero dying on the street."

I felt bile rise to my throat. I dropped the plate that I was holding. It hit the floor the same time I did, but it shattered into a thousand pieces.

My heart shattered into a million.

I was on my knees when Charlie came in the kitchen.

"Bella?" he said, worried. Then he caught my broken expression. "Bella!"

Charlie got down onto his knees next to me. "Bella! What is wrong? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Are you ill?"

The answer to all of the questions was yes. Of course I was upset. But Charlie couldn't know this. And why?

Because Charlie had no idea that I was secretly married to the country's most illusive, dangerous, and purely good and amazing detective/half super hero. Seriously, that's what most people regarded The Cullen as. Nothing more than a super hero. Armed with his signature array of guns and knife hidden in his boot, The Cullen had been tackling crime and stopping or solving murders for the last six-and-a-half years. Nobody knew who he was. Nobody knew where he came from.

Except me.

I met Edward Anthony Masen in high school. Well, I was in high school. Edward is two years older. I was seventeen, and he was nineteen. He was a normal guy going through police academy. He was top of his class, but one of his friends got into trouble. Edward knew the potential in the man. He took the blame.

That friend was my brother Emmett.

I had met Edward a few times before when Emmett brought him home. We had connected almost immediately. He helped me struggle through the rest of high school, and we got married three days after graduation. But it was secret, considering that he was already one of America's heroes. The only other person that knew about the marriage was Emmett. He was also the only one that knew who The Cullen really was.

"Bella?" Charlie was frantic over what was wrong with me. I pushed myself up on my arms and tried to stand. I finally pulled myself up using the counter. "Will you _please_ tell me what's wrong?" he asked.

I was gasping for air and tears were running down my face. Charlie looked very worried about me.

Standing hurriedly, I grabbed my keys and coat before dashing out the door. Charlie ran after me.

"Bella!" he called. "Wait!"

"Hurry!" I screeched as I threw myself into the front seat of the cruiser. He was suddenly in the seat next to me.

I sped down the familiar roads until I reached the edge of the throng. I was out of the car without a moment's hesitation, ignoring the grunts and screams of surprise and pain as I pushed my way through, Charlie fighting to keep up.

Finally, I reached where there was a circle of about ten yards of space. He lay bleeding in the middle and oh, God, there was a hole in his stomach and his chest was rising and falling pathetically…

I knew that my husband was in severe and mortal danger, but I wasn't stupid. I reached into my coat pocket and retrieved the mask that I always kept with me. It was crucial that I keep our identities secret. I just always carry the mask because it reminds me of him. I tied it securely around the back of my head before I pushed my way through the last ring until I was standing in the middle of the circle and people were screaming at me to move away and let him die masked and in peace.

"Bella," he rasped, his eyelids fluttering. I felt the hot and heavy tears slipping down my cheeks as I patted his jacket until I found his cell phone.

I dialed the only person I knew could help.

"Carlisle!" I screamed. "You need to help him. And you know who!"

"I'm on my way," my 'father-in-law' answered.

I took Edward's hand firmly and felt a hand on my shoulder. Looking up, the hulking figure above me was unmistakable.

"Emmett," I cried.

"Shh, Bells, he's gonna be okay."

Edward raised a frail hand and caught a tear on my cheek before trailing it down my neck and arm. He caught my wrist and pulled me down so his mouth was right next to my ear.

"The will is in the safe behind the headboard," he rasped. "There is a bank account with my name on it for seventy-two million dollars that you can sign for the way I arranged it. The code is on the back of your wedding ring. I love you, Bella. So much. God, do I love you. I just want you to know."

The sobs choked me, preventing air to enter my lungs. I lay my head against his bloody chest and suddenly felt a flash of light.

"Damn paparazzi!" Emmett yelled before standing and pushing them all back so I could have a moment with my dying husband.

"Carlisle is coming, Edward," I whispered. "You won't die. You'll be fine. I promise. I swear you'll live. I swear to you."

He ran his fingers softly through my hair as I wept. Then I heard another voice above me.

"Is it really…?"

I looked up at Carlisle and nodded, moving away to give him room while still holding Edward's hand. He inspected him before turning to Emmett.

"He will die if we don't get an ambulance through here within the next five minutes. Clear a path, they're trying to get in." Emmett nodded.

"Okay!" he barked at the crowd. "Everybody scatter, _or ELSE!_"

He started brutally pushing people out of the way, Charlie assisting, until an ambulance could come through three minutes later. Edward was already unconscious and they loaded him easily into the back. I got in with them after a hurried explanation from Carlisle to the EMTs.

The ride to the hospital was terrifying as I focused on my husband and the orders the EMTs were shouting at each other. It was all garbled gibberish to me.

We finally reached the ER and he was taken into the OR. I went to the waiting room where Em, Rosalie, Alice, Jasper, Charlie, Renee, and Phil were sitting. The way they looked at me made me realize that I had blood _everywhere_.

I took one look at a mirror and burst into tears. Not because of my appearance, but because it was _his_ blood splattering my clothes and the mask and matting my hair to my scalp. They continued to stare as the sobs racked my body and I collapsed into a chair.

I cried like I had never cried before, because this was my ultimate fear, my main nightmare and it was coming true. He was hurt, he was in pain, and I couldn't just put some Neosporin and a band-aid on it or heal it carefully in the dark hours of the night that were all we had.

After three hours of sobbing, a doctor came out.

"Who is Mrs. Cullen?" he asked, glancing at a chart. I looked up hopefully.

"I am, sir." I ignored the amazed and shocked faces of my family and friends as they heard this.

"The surgery went fine. We're moving him to a room. The waiting rooms are swamped with press and people waiting for news. Should we release something?"

I stood up. "No. Not yet. I'll go see him and release news when I come back down tell them to wait twenty minutes."

He nodded and I dashed up to the room that a nurse provided me with.

Edward was asleep and God, he looked so frail with all the wires and crap attached to him. I knew he hated hospitals and I sat in the chair beside him, covering my mouth with my face.

Then I took off the chain around my neck, removing the wedding and engagement rings before setting them on their rightful places on my left hand. I gave his hand one last squeeze before I cleaned up quickly in the small bathroom.

Finally, I went to face the demons that are the associated press.

They all swarmed me as soon as I answered the room, flooding me with questions. I marched right up to a wall and stood on a chair.

"Please!" I yelled, "be quiet for two minutes!"

Nothing hushes a room like a Lit. teacher screaming. I could see a few of my students in the sea of people around me. I sighed, wiping my eyes of the few stray tears before remembering that the mask was still in place.

Thank God.

"Okay, I will answer a few questions, but I need them one at a time."

I pointed to a guy in a blue sweater with a microphone and a notebook with a camera guy standing beside him. "Ma'am," he said. "I have two questions. First, what is your association with The Cullen?"

"I'm sorry," I said, masking my voice well. "I cannot give a comment on that at this moment."

There was a buzz of more talking before blue sweater guy spoke again.

"Is The Cullen okay?"

I sighed. "From what the doctor has said, he took a bullet in his stomach, but knowing him, he'll be back out on the streets by next Friday."

_Not if I have anything to say about it,_ I amended in my head. But then I realized that I couldn't hold him back. This was part of him and I loved watching him do something he loved. Even if it scared the hell out of me with the possibility that something like this could happen, only without him coming back to me.

* * *

I went to school the following day as much as I knew that I didn't want to. I had to go, after all. If I called in sick it just might blow my cover.

My outfit was the usual suit and heels I wore every day. I hung my rings back on a chain and let the cold metal sink down my shirt and hang against my skin. My eyes were red-rimmed and there were bags under them, but there was nothing I could do about that now.

Of course, he had slipped out of the hospital room late last night after paying everything that was needed. He was now sleeping silently on my- our bed.

Charlie rapped on the door and I poked my head out.

"Yes, Dad?" I said with a yawn.

"Why did you lie to me all these years? I didn't even get to walk you down the aisle, Bellsy."

I can see the truth in his words and why he is so sad. The bed behind me creaks and I feel his arms wind around my waist. Charlie's eyes grow wide.

"Okay," I said. "I can see that we obviously need to have a little chat about this. I have about a half an hour before I need to leave for work. Can we all go into the living room?"

Their eyes are locked, but both follow my lead. Edward is dressed in only a pair of black sweatpants and the white gauze wrapping around his waist.

We all sit down and I endure the awkward silence. I sighed and grabbed a mug and the percolator, filling two cups of coffee for my guys.

To add to the awkwardness, Emmett bursts in the door laden down with leather jackets, black pants, and white t-shirts.

"Greetings, all!"

He notes our awkwardness, drops the clothes on the floor, and sits down guiltily on the chair. This is Charlie's meeting now. I distribute the coffee and give Emmett one as well. They all accept it gratefully. I sit down cautiously between Emmett and my husband.

Charlie takes a deep breath.

"Okay." He breathes again. "Go ahead. Shoot."

"I-"

Charlie stops me. "No, not you Bellsy. I want to hear it from Cullen or whatever your husband's name is."

I clutch Edward's hand. He sighs.

"Of course, sir." Without further ado, he launches into the story of our courtship and marriage. Charlie's eyes light in recognition.

"Ah, Emmett's friend! I remember you!" He smiles and his eyes are now happy. "I liked you, kid. And I like you now. There's something about you. Well, kiddo," he says, turning his attention to me. "It looks like you did well. But don't you dare think you're off the hook. I'm still very upset with you. You just need to get to work now."

I glance at my watch. "Shit."

I go around and kiss all of my guys, finishing with my husband. He presses his forehead against mine.

"I'm sorry, my Bella. I will never get shot again, I can promise."

I clutch his bronze hair, just ecstatic that he's still alive.

"Don't promise me anything. You being alive is enough for me."

He sighed. "I just wish it were enough for me."

* * *

My homeroom was abuzz with all rumors of what had happened the night before. I watched with amusement at the stories they came up with.

"Alright," I said finally, standing up. They were also my first period class. "Well, since we are all abuzz about this, what would your take on it be if you were a journalist?"

Hands went up all over the room. I picked a kid named Joey.

"I would investigate onto who the woman was. You know, the one at the hospital last night?"

"Yeah," another kid says.

"Okay." This isn't quite what I had in mind. "Open discussion time. Whatever you have to say about the incident, come out with it."

A girl named Anna pulls out a newspaper from her desk.

"This has special photos from the scene," she informs me. I don't need special photos from the scene. I was there, for God's sake.

I opened the paper and displayed all of the photos on the blackboard. There are at least fifteen; the whole front cover and half of the inside is all about the incident.

I grimace as I look at my pictures.

"So," I say as I stand in front of the room. "Look at the first picture. What do you see? What do you perceive?"

The picture was taken before I had arrived at the scene. It was the one that had been on every news broadcast last night at the start of the mayhem.

He was laying in a puddle of blood, his eyes closed and blood dripping down his cheek from his mouth. His hands were clenched and his hat was partially off of his brown locks. Spectators whispered and pointed in every direction, leaving the bubble of space around him.

Why hadn't they helped?

I called on Tanner, a girl in the front row. She squinted at the picture. "It looks almost like they don't want to help. Like they're leaving him out there to die."

"Good." I swallowed hard, not wanting to see it that way.

A jock in the back, Tray, speaks up. "It's almost as if they're not grateful for all The Cullen's done for this place. It's like they don't really care anymore. If he's alive, that's great and he can save us, but if he's dying that's okay too."

I had to hold back the tears on this one. It was hard to talk about my husband like this.

"Let's move onto the next picture," I choke out.

Edward is whispering in my ear, telling me my instructions. Emmett has a hand on my brother and Charlie is running into the scene.

"I don't know about anyone else," a stuck-up popular rich boy named Asher says, "But I know a few things about this. First of all, that police officer is _huge_. Secondly, the girl is smoking hot. And thirdly, he's telling her something important. Must be someone he trusts."

A quiet girl named Charlotte locks eyes with me. I know that Charlotte has a major crush on a guy named Peter. He is Asher's best friend and sits in the back row.

"Miss Swan," she says quietly. "Can I talk to you after class?"

My throat seizes up and I suddenly fear for the worst. "Yes, of course you can." I compose myself and look back at the class. Anyone else?"

Sean clears his throat. All eyes focus on him. "Um, that big guy and the man running into the scene appear to be police officers."

"Yeah, they do," somebody says.

It's odd to have the inside view of all of this. I glance at the clock and take note of the time displayed in green light.

"Since we are running out of time, why don't we look at the last picture?"

I grimace noticeably. It's of me, standing on a chair, as I talk to the press. I'm _coated_ in blood and the black masks looks darker against my skin.

"It's the hot girl," Asher says confidently. A couple of guys in the back snicker.

I roll my eyes. "Yes, it's the hot girl." Strange, never once has a student called me hot before this. "Other than that? Anything at all? Anything notable about this?"

"Yeah," Peter calls from the back. "She has on The Cullen's mask and a wedding and engagement ring."

I gulp. I suppose I forgot to take that off last night.

"Yes, I suppose she does. What does that lead us to think?"

There is a pause, and then a gasp runs through the class.

"Oh, my God," Sarah says. "The Cullen is married!"

* * *

Charlotte comes to my desk right after class.

"Miss Swan," she says. "If I want to give something to The Cullen, how do I reach him?"

I stiffen. "Is there any reason for this, Char?"

She smiles delicately, shyly. "I was in a car wreck about two years ago. I went to a different school then. It was a terrible crash and he's the only reason I'm still alive."

I smile back at her. "I'm sure I can find a way to get it to him," I say. But as I reach forward, my chain falls out of my shirt.

She gasps.

"Shit!" I mutter and mentally chide myself not to swear in front of students. "Something wrong, Charlotte?"

She gazes at me for a second, my beseeching and worried eyes and my stiff expression. "Nothing at all, _Miss_ Swan," she says with a wink. I smile.

"Between us?"

"Between us."

I take the package from her and stow it in my desk to give to Edward later.

**This is my first fic, so I would love it if you review! Anything you did or didn't like, suggestions and comments! All is welcome!**


End file.
